Israel warns 4 European countries against Palestinian statehood recognition

Israel told four European countries on Monday that their plan to work toward recognition of a Palestinian state constituted a "prize for terrorism" that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the conflict between the neighbours. Spain said on Friday that, in the name of Middle East peace, it had agreed with Ireland, Malta and Slovenia to take first steps toward recognising statehood declared by the Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. Gaza has long been under the rule of the Islamist group Hamas, which rejects peace with Israel and attacked it on Oct 7, triggering a devastating war that has stoked violence in the West Bank, where Israel has extensive Jewish settlements.